Content storing device query

ABSTRACT

A method, apparatus, and correspondingly configured computer program, in which a querying device inputs a user an identification of desired content and sends a query request for the desired content to surrounding memory devices. The query request is adapted to cause compatible receiving memory devices to perform a search based on the request. The memory devices are configured to listen to query requests and responsively perform searches based on the queries. Any memory device that finds content according to the query request responds to the query device which, after sending the query request, monitors for the compatible receiving memory devices for information that the queried content is found. Responsive to receiving the information from a given memory device, the querying device establishes a connection with the given memory device and obtains the content.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to querying devices storingparticular content.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Content search poses one of the most challenging human tasks in themodern life. Content is often searched by computer-assisted metadatasearches using a computer and a computer network, particularly when theInternet is being searched as a vast global content store. Metadataextensions to actual content data are a known method to ease datamanagement of large systems. For example Web 2.0 is based on a databasewhere metadata is associated as an extension to actual content data i.e.URI. Known metadata searches are implemented with big server farms. Torun a global metadata search is a computation intensive task. Typicallyall possible associations are returned as search results. Often, theusers need to define a new more detailed criterion for furtherprocessing based on the search result.

New network technologies are introduced ever faster and also for localdata storage. Various types of content such as digital camera images andmusic files are being stored in computers, set top boxes, music playersand mobile phones, for instance. Near field communication (NFC) typesystems at present store relatively modest amount of data. There are noknown techniques to launch local data searches among RFID tags, forinstance, which reside within a communication range. NFC tags areinstead treated as separate standalone devices.

Given the quickly falling mass storage price and increasingly popularmedia recorders and players, the amount of locally stored content israpidly increasing. Unfortunately, the necessary setup of a well workingnetwork access between current and new devices is often technicallychallenging. Further, portable electrical devices with large (gigabyte)memories may overtake in the future personal computers as main storageand access means for digitized information. Moreover, also passivedevices (that is, devices without a power source of their own) possessever larger non-volatile memories only operable when the devices areexternally powered. One example of such a technology is the RadioFrequency IDentification that has been known for more than 25 years.Other proximity communications (that is, inter-device communicationsbetween within a range from one millimeter to few meters) technologiesinclude NFC, electronic product code (EPC), ISO 18000-4 and Memory spotby Hewlett Packard corp.

If Moore's law realizes in the future development of passive devicememories, a single passive device may store data in the magnitude of agigabyte. Hence, memory management will be difficult to sustainefficiently. It is seen that both energy and processing time are alreadyprecious resources at link protocol layer (MAC) of passive devices. Yetdigital content should be reasonably usable despite the expanding dataamounts. While the data transmission rates are also increasing thanks toenhanced compression and transmission technologies, it can also beassessed that accessing desired local content in a reasonable time isbecoming ever more challenging. At worst, even if desired data mayreside at hand, there is no reasonable access to the data if it cannotbe found for using or sharing with others when desired. Let us assumethat there is a video or music clip (item) that a home user knows shehas somewhere at her home. She may have data storages in her mobilephone, her child's mobile phone, stereo system, set top box, and furthera dynamic hard disk on her computer. To find the item, she should searchor browse through the contents in each of these devices one by one anditem by item (or possibly folder by folder) with the device's own userinterface. Alternatively, some existing service and content discoveryarrangement such as Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) designed for internetprotocol networks could be used so that one device could be used tosearch into the storage of other devices. However, no such backgroundart disclosure is known and also the search would take long time ifevery single device contents should be transferred to the searchingdevice, device by device and item by item or folder by folder, until thedesired content (item) is found.

It is an object of the invention to avoid or at least mitigate drawbacksof existing data searching and particularly local data searching.

SUMMARY

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided in amemory device a method comprising:

-   -   receiving from a querying device a query request for desired        content;    -   performing a search based on the request; and    -   if content according to the query request is found, responsively        establishing a connection with the querying device and informing        the querying device of the found content.

Advantageously, numerous ambient memory devices may each receive acommon query request without necessarily conducting a preceding mutualconnection establishment. The query request may contain one or moresearch criteria. Further advantageously, plural different memory devicesmay at least partly simultaneously conduct a search, which mayadvantageously be a meta-data query, for the desired content. Aconnection may be established with the querying device to inform of thefound content only if content according to the query request is found.No two-way connection needs to be established on sending the queryrequest. Hence, major saving in time may be obtained in comparison toindividually connecting to each memory device one by one when pluralmemory devices are to be queried for the desired content.

It should be appreciated the found content is content that meets withthe query request, but the found content may not equal to the desiredcontent. The searched content may, for instance, provide desired song orpicture of the child as defined in the query, but the found content mayyet be non-identical relative to the query.

In particular, some embodiments of the invention seek to address thefollowing problems:

-   -   i) As the amount of content in local memories increases it        becomes very inconvenient to upload all content from each local        memory to an access device for searching of interesting content.        Also the number of local memories may increase, which        complicates the issue further.    -   ii) Accessing the local memory (reading data for transmitting to        an access device such as reader or writing received data) in a        passive device is power intensive and as passive devices are        limited by peak power consumption, accessing the local memories        adversely affects on the link ranges.

The memory device may be powered by a wireless signal transmitted by thequerying device. The wireless signal that powers the memory device mayalso carry the query request.

The query request may be broadcast to all memory devices in range,without addressing it to any memory device or set of memory devices inparticular. In this embodiment, utility is gained from not requiringestablished link connections before transmitting the query request.

Advantageously, passive devices may focus in one task at the time ifavailable power does not allow simultaneous querying and transmitting ofquery results to the querying device. Hence, operating range may improvein comparison to prior arrangements in which the query and transmissionshould occur at least partly in parallel.

The memory device may be configured to adapt scheduling of queryingdynamically based on available power so that when available powersuffices, simultaneous querying and data transmission to the queryingdevice are enabled and otherwise querying and data transmission of thefound content are performed sequentially.

The query request may be embedded to a link layer command. The linklayer command may be a tag selection command.

The method may further comprise the querying device continually andwirelessly powering the memory device to enable the memory device toperform the search.

The method may comprise receiving the query request directly from thequerying device.

The memory device may be located at the proximity of the queryingdevice. The query request may be received using proximity communicationssuch as Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) or near fieldcommunication.

The memory device may be, for example, a media memory device such as adigital camera, set top box, personal digital assistant, digitalcamcorder, stereo appliance, memory stick, portable computer, fixedcomputer, mobile telephone or portable music player.

The querying device may be, for example, a mobile telephone, digitalcamera, set top box, television, personal digital assistant, portablecomputer,.fixed computer or music player.

The found content may be sent to the querying device automatically onestablishing the connection, after establishing the connection, orresponsively to receiving a dedicated retrieval message from thequerying device.

Advantageously, by automatically transmitting the content onestablishing the content or after establishing the content, the contentmay be typically transmitted to the querying device before the queryingdevice distances too far from the memory device in case thatcommunication between the querying device and the memory device has alimited range. Alternatively, by waiting for the dedicated retrievalmessage, the memory device may avoid sending conflicting signaling withother memory devices that may also have found the content.

A mobile phone is particularly useful as the querying device with areadily usable user interface for inputting desired contentidentification and instructing queries for desired content tosurrounding memory devices.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided amemory device comprising:

-   -   a receiver configured to receive from a querying device a query        request for desired content;    -   a memory comprising electric information content;    -   a processor configured to perform a search based on the request;        and    -   a transmitter configured to:        -   establish a connection with the querying device and        -   inform the querying device of the found content responsively            if the content is found.

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided acomputer program embodied in a memory medium, comprising:

-   -   computer executable program code for enabling a memory device to        receive from a querying device a query request for desired        content;    -   computer executable program code for enabling a memory device to        perform a search based on the request; and    -   computer executable program code for enabling a memory device,        if content according to the query request is found, to        responsively establish a connection with the querying device and        informing the querying device of the found content.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided in aquerying device a method comprising:

-   -   inputting from a user an identification of desired content;    -   sending a query request for the desired content to surrounding        memory devices, the query request being adapted to cause        compatible receiving memory devices to perform a search based on        the request; and    -   monitoring for the compatible receiving memory devices for        information that content according to the query request is found        and responsive to receiving the said information from a given        memory device, establishing a connection with the given memory        device and obtaining the content.

The method may further comprise:

-   -   receiving identification of each memory device that responds        with the information that content according to the query request        is found;    -   selecting supplying memory device from the memory devices from        which the identification has been received; and    -   instructing the supplying memory device to send the found        content to the device.

The method may further comprise, after the selecting of the supplyingmemory device, sending a termination message to cancel the queryrequest.

By canceling the query request, unnecessary querying may be avoided.This is particularly useful if some of the memory devices are batteryoperated or otherwise resource restricted.

The canceling of the query request may take place after the foundcontent has been received. The canceling may take place after the foundcontent has been received and accepted as the desired content by a userof the querying device.

By subjecting the cancellation to successful delivery of the foundcontent, time may be saved in case that the supplying memory devicewould not be capable of transferring the found content to the queryingdevice. By further subjecting the cancellation to user approval,parallel queries may continue in case that the user would not approvethe found content.

According to a fifth aspect of the invention, there is provided aquerying device comprising:

-   -   user interface configured to input from a user an identification        of desired content;    -   a transmitter configured to send a query request for the desired        content to surrounding memory devices, the query request being        adapted to cause compatible receiving memory devices to perform        a search based on the request; and    -   a processor configured to monitor for the compatible receiving        memory devices for information that content according to the        query request is found and responsive to receiving the said        information from a given memory device, to establish a        connection with the given memory device and obtain the content.

According to a sixth aspect of the invention, there is provided acomputer program for controlling a device and embodied in a memorymedium, comprising:

computer executable program code configured to enable the device toperform the method of the fourth aspect.

Any foregoing memory medium may be a digital data storage such as a datadisc or diskette, optical storage, magnetic storage, holographicstorage, phase-change storage (PCM) or opto-magnetic storage. The memorymedium may be formed into a device without other substantial functionsthan storing memory or it may be formed as part of a device with otherfunctions, including but not limited to a memory of a computer, a chipset, and a sub assembly of an electronic device.

According to a seventh aspect of the invention, there is provided amemory device comprising:

-   -   means for receiving from a querying device a query request for        desired content;    -   means for storing electric information content;    -   means for performing a search based on the request; and    -   means for:        -   establishing a connection with the querying device and        -   informing the querying device of the found content            responsively if content according to the query request is            found.

Various embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated onlywith reference to certain aspects of the invention. It should beappreciated that corresponding embodiments may apply to other aspects aswell.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described, by way of example only, with referenceto the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic picture of a local content storing memorydevice according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a content querying device according toan embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 shows an example of content query in a starting point;

FIG. 4 shows main signaling and events related to the content querybetween the reader device and the tag;

FIGS. 5A to 5D show examples of a power aware passive device's operationin different powering conditions; and

FIG. 6 shows an example on an end-to-end data upload operation sequenceand link layer signaling between reader and a passive memory device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, like numbers denote like elements.

An embodiment of the invention is based on first querying by a readerdevice for surrounding local memory devices (e.g. RFID tags or othermemory devices with local memory) for user desired content such as audioand/or video content, receiving query results, selecting content to betransferred and then receiving content according to the query request(that may or may not be the desired content but at least meets thesearch criteria and is therefore content corresponding with the queryrequest or found content) from a local memory device or local memorydevices to the querying device. It should be understood that there arealso various different implementations to different phases of thisembodiment which each can be freely chosen or combined to otherimplementations within the scope of the invention.

In support of the following description, the main structure of typicalinvolved elements is described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1shows a schematic drawing of a local content storing memory device, alsoreferred to as a tag, according to an embodiment of the invention. Thelocal content storing memory device 100 (memory device in short)comprises a memory 102 including a persistent memory 103 configured tostore computer program code 104 and the terminal's private identity. Thepersistent memory 103 further stores other data to be maintained in thememory device. The memory device 100 further comprises a processor 101for controlling the operation of the memory device 100 using thecomputer program code 104, a work memory 105 within the memory 102 forrunning the computer program code 104 by the processor 101, aninput/output or proximity communication unit 106 such as a RadioFrequency Identification (RFID) module or Near Field Communication (NFC)for communicating with the querying device. The memory device 100 mayalso contain a (simple) user interface like a display and/or one or morebuttons (not shown). The memory device 100 may further comprise a powersupply 107 in case it is a self-powered tag (such as an active tag) forlonger range and better functionality if needed. The processor 101 istypically a master control unit MCU. Alternatively, the processor may besubstantially a microprocessor, a digital signal processor, anapplication specific integrated circuit, a field programmable gatearray, a microcontroller or a combination of such elements.

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a content querying device, also referredto as a reader device, according to an embodiment of the invention. FIG.2 presents a processor 201, a memory 202 with work memory andnon-volatile memory 203 including software 204 and a local communicationunit 206. The components 201 to 206 have functions similar as those ofthe corresponding components 101 to 106 in FIG. 1 with the exceptionthat typically the querying device is provided with a power supply 207such as a battery so that the querying device is also capable of runningmore efficient and complex circuitry than local content storing memorydevices, particularly more than passive content storing memory devices.Moreover, the software in the querying device is configured to cause thedevice to query for content from ambient (surrounding proximate memorydevices typically within a distance from millimeter to tens of meters)memory devices. Hence, the elements 201 to 206 have different denotationthan elements 101 to 106 even if in some cases the elements may beexactly matching. The querying device may also contain a mobilecommunications unit 208 such as a cellular telecommunications unit,satellite communications unit, positioning unit and/or wireless datanetworking unit such as a wireless local area networking unit. Thequerying device also contains a user interface 209 that typicallycontains one or more information presentation elements such as adisplay, speaker, projector and speech synthesizer. The user interfacefurther comprises one or more user input elements such as a keyboard,touch screen, computer mouse, bar code scanner and speech recognizer.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic drawing of a system according to an embodimentof the present invention in which a content search will be performed bythe ambient local memory devices or tags 100 responsive to receiving aquery request from a tag reader 200. FIG. 3 illustrates three differentranges as boundaries 301, 302 and 303, respectively: closest to the tagreader 200, there is the region 301 in which passive tags 100 receivesufficient power from the tag reader 200 in order to write into theirmemories. Somewhat larger region 302 illustrates the area in which thepassive tags are sufficiently powered to read their memories andcommunicate with the reader. Still farther, there is the borderline upto which active or self-powered tags are able to communicate with thetag reader 200. The active tags need not be powered by the tag reader200 and thus they are capable of both reading and writing into theirmemories and communicating with the tag reader up to the boundary 303.The communication range of active tags with the querying device may beextended by providing a synchronization signal.

FIG. 4 shows main signaling and events related to the content querybetween the querying device 200 and the memory device 100. Beforestarting a content search or query, the user of the querying devicedefines a query 400 using the user interface 209 (not shown in FIG. 3).Next, the querying device 200 or particularly the proximitycommunication unit 206 attempts to select one or more of ambient memorydevices (memory devices within reach of the proximity communication unit206) by broadcasting a query command 401 (the query command may bedirected to data contents or associated metadata), preferably on linklayer level. Also energizing radiation may be transmitted together withthe query command, if the memory devices are not self-powered. Allmemory devices 100 that are within the link range may receive the querycommand. The memory devices responsively start a search 402 on theirstorage. Typically, only the memory devices with matching content willreply to the query command.

After sending a query command, the querying device may idle until itreceives one or more responses. The responses may be query results orinterim messages such as indications of query status, energizing needindications (that energizing radiation is needed, or that the energizingradiation is no longer needed).

If passive memory devices are included into a search, that is, if thequerying device so assumes, is so instructed or receives an energizingneed indication as a message 403, the querying device 200 may continueto power those devices.

Each ambient memory device runs a memory content search much like aquery would be locally launched independent of other ambient devices. Onfinding a matching content (searched content or hit), the memory devicemay send a response to the query such as the query result or interimmessage 403 and continue or not continue to search for further hits.Uploaded responses may also contain the status of the search at theresponding memory device in relation to the present query and parametersnecessary to setup a point-to-point connection for transferring thefound content. The received parameters enable automatic data connectionsetup to a responding memory device typically at the link layer. Theoptionally generated intermediate status of a query and/or an indicationof the found content may be provided to the user of the reader devicewith its UI 209 to allow the user to select whether to fetch thecontent, see event 404.

If the user selects not to retrieve the content, the query may simplycontinue if not all the memories of the ambient memory devices 100 havebeen fully searched yet. If the search ends without any match beingfound, the memory device 100 may send a failure notification as message403 to the querying device 200. On the other hand, if the user selectsto retrieve the content, a retrieval message 405 is sent to the memorydevice 100 with parameters obtained from message 403. Responsively, aconnection is formed between the querying device 200 and the memorydevice 100 and the content is transferred 406 to the querying device200. On the application level, the querying device need not even knowthe source of the received content data if the search is instructed andresults transferred automatically based on link-layer interactionbetween the querying device and the ambient memory devices, unless theprogress of the search and possible hits are to be previewed by theuser. After transmission of the content, the querying device may presentthe content 407 with the UI 209. The user may then be prompted toindicate whether the found content meets with the user's needs. If theuser accepts the found content, a cancellation message is broadcasted409 to the ambient memory devices in order to stop them from running invain. This is useful as unnecessary power consumption may be stopped,particularly if any of the ambient memory devices is an active memorydevice. Alternatively or in addition to sending the cancellationmessage, the reader device 200 may simply stop the energizing so as tospare energy and/or stop the search in passive devices. On the otherhand, if the user disapproves the content received, the query may simplybe let to proceed at all the memory devices which still have not yetcompleted their searches. The memory devices may be configured tomaintain for a predetermined time or number of searches a status ofuncompleted search or searches so that they may continue a previoussearch if so instructed by the reader device 200.

It should be appreciated that the querying device may allow the user toinitiate more than one parallel search in which case the results foreach query may be grouped together for presentation as meaningful setsto the user.

Whilst in FIG. 3 the local content storing memory devices are typicallyproximity communications devices such as radio frequency identification(RFID) or near field communication (NFC) devices, also other directlinks are usable, including Bluetooth. In case of Bluetooth, a sessiondescription protocol file may be added by signaling to perform a query.

In order to enable placing a query command at the link layer, the linklayer should be implemented in both the querying device 200 and memorydevices 100 so that the query command may be relayed to the memorydevices 100 in a message before a connection is made. A connect messageis one suitable candidate that may be so adapted. Further, the linklayer (MAC) protocol may be adapted so that a memory device is able toschedule the mass storage accessed for example not to overlap in timewith data transmission or reception activities of the memory device,when available peak power is lower than needed energy to run thosefunctions in parallel. The adaptation of the link layer may involvereserving access slots for memory devices such that sufficient time isleft between the slots to perform the query without necessarilysearching and communicating simultaneously at memory devices 100.Further, the link layer may be adapted so that the link layer indicatesto the memory device 100 whether data access and transfer are enabled bythe received power (in case of passive memory devices). Correspondingly,the link layer should then enable to instruct the querying device 200 ofany adaptation to data transmission scheme being applied. The link layermay use a default duty-cycle scheduling as default on establishing aconnection and then adapt the scheduling dynamically during theconnection.

FIGS. 5A to 5D show examples of a power aware passive device's operationin different powering conditions. The power available to the passivedevice is depicted as diminishing from each of these figures to the nextfigure as would be the case if similar memory devices were observed atdifferent distances and/or channel conditions from the reader device.Starting from FIG. 5A, there is ample of available power so that afterreceiving over the air a query request 401, the tag 100 executes thequery 402 and accesses its memory 53 by reading data in accordance withthe query. That the two operations are performed in parallel causes anincreased power draw but the total power consumption still remains wellwithin the power received from the querying device. In addition to theevents and signals depicted with reference to FIG. 4, FIG. 5A shows theevent end transmission 57 at which phase the tag 100 ends transmittingthe found content to the reader device 200. Further, in FIG. 5D there isan event query fail 58 after which the tag 100 attempts the query againwhen power suffices.

FIG. 6 shows an example on an end-to-end data upload operation sequenceand link layer signaling between a querying device and a passive memorydevice. FIG. 6 describes an implementation of a querying device and apassive memory device operation sequence and key control signaling. Fourmain phases 610 to 640 illustrate some details of this implementation.At start of the process illustrated by FIG. 6, the querying device 200starts power transmission (distributed memory powering). This phase isreferred to as powering phase 610 and further involves broadcasting aquery 401. When power is available to the memory device 100, the memorydevice's receiver is activated and the query 401 is received

In the second phase 620, the querying device continues to transmit powerto ambient memory devices. Any energized memory device in range (oneexemplified) executes 402 the received query such as, for example, “findvideo type of content”. The memory device 100 reads 601 its memory onexecuting the query and the process then advances to the next phase thatis a selecting phase 630. Notice: as described in FIGS. 5A to 5D, ifenough peak power is available then memory read and data comparison maybe performed simultaneously.

In the selecting phase 630, the memory device 100 transmits a replymessage 403 in response to the query 401. The memory device 100 onlyreplies if the query is met (e.g. a searched string or type is foundfrom the memory of the memory device 100. The memory device may alsosend a reply in certain other cases such as to send an interim messagesuch as an indication of query status, to acknowledge 406′ a messagefrom the querying device 200 or if an operation has failed (message406″) for example too low peak power available). A failure message mayalso contain an indication of the cause of the failure. The query replymessage 403 may have also information of peak power level available tothe memory device 100 for the purpose of adjusting a MAC layer operationbetween the memory device 100 and the querying device 200. Armed withthe reply 403 from one or more memory devices 100, the querying devicenext selects a device or devices to set up data upload communication.The querying device 200 may also repeat a query to any memory devicewhich replies with a failure message (query execution failed, thismessage is not shown in FIG. 6).

Next, the uploading phase 640 begins (if any hits were found) and thequerying device 200 sets up a data upload sequence by sending a dataread request 405 with a device ID number and possible metadata such asother variables besides the query command. The memory device responds byreading 602 the memory 102 and then sending back 406 to the readerdevice 200 the selected content or a portion (e.g. one data packet) ofthe content. If data transmission is successful, an OK acknowledgement406′ is sent back to the memory device 100. On receiving the ack 406′,the memory device 100 may continue to send 406 another part of theselected data and receive yet another ack 406′ or nack 406″.

If a transmission of selected content or any part thereof fails, a nack406″ is sent back to the memory device 100 so that the memory device mayresend 406 the data.

On receiving data from the memory device 100 or memory devices 100, thequerying device writes the received content 603 into the memory 202 forpresenting to the user.

A person ordinarily skilled in the art understands that variousembodiments described in the foregoing are freely adaptable andcombinable. Some further embodiments involve presenting to the user atthe querying device a growing hit list that reflects the progress of thequery, presenting to the user an indication of the progress either withcontinual updates or updates whenever an indication of a hit is receivedfrom a memory device. Moreover, the memory devices 100 may provide thequerying device with an indication of their memory size and/or theamount of memory allocated to data content generally or to the type ofcontent that corresponds to the present query. Further, the queryingdevice may be configured to allow the user to add query criteria so thatalready found hits are correspondingly filtered at the reader device andan update query command is broadcast to ambient memory devices 100 inorder to avoid unnecessary data transfer and to accelerate the findingand subsequent retrieval of desired content from an ambient memorydevice 100.

In case where the querying device is accessing multiple devices, knowncollision control methods may be used. Then, the querying device 200 mayset up the upload sequence using a device ID number (or other uniquemetadata received in reply message, for example). More metadatavariables besides just a search string may be added into this new devicespecific data read request. Finally, a tag 100 selected by the readerdevice 200 uploads the desired content to the querying device 200. Thequerying device 200 may, for instance, fetch six a clock News from amemory device that possess that video or audio clip and a presentationvideo about the owner of an ambient memory device.

In the foregoing, particular attention has been paid to adapt both airinterface and memory access to limited peak power budget in a passivedevice. Power hungry operations at a passive memory device side may bescheduled so that end-to-end operation is maintained as long as possiblewithout new connection setups. The end-to-end system performance shouldbe (near) optimum to a given power level. In adapting to power, thecommunication performance adapts to power and not vice versa.

Different aspects and embodiments of the invention provide numerousadvantages as is appreciated from the foregoing description. In thefollowing, some of the advantages are summarized:

-   -   Easy access to digitized content stored in multiple devices        unknown to the device used for accessing the content    -   Avoiding additional setup between data source i.e. memory device        and a data storing devices (e.g. memory devices 100 such as, for        example, tags)    -   Memory access and content access are separated and need not        depend on each others implementation so that compliant equipment        may be simple and economical to design and manufacture    -   Very low energy consumption may be achieved thanks to low link        layer signaling, data transmission and data processing activity    -   MAC protocol may employ variable data transmission rates to        adapt data transmission according to changing needs    -   Simple streaming type of end-to-end high level data access is        enabled so that data presentation may be started before all of        the content has been transferred from a memory device to the        reader device    -   Major investments to ambient intelligent infrastructure may be        avoided and relatively inexpensive passive memory devices only        need data access to interoperate with various kinds of        electrical devices    -   Relatively fast and accurate search results may be gained

The foregoing description has provided by way of non-limiting examplesof particular implementations and embodiments of the invention a fulland informative description of the best mode presently contemplated bythe inventors for carrying out the invention. It is however clear to aperson skilled in the art that the invention is not restricted todetails of the embodiments presented above, but that it can beimplemented in other embodiments using equivalent means withoutdeviating from the characteristics of the invention.

Furthermore, some of the features of the above-disclosed embodiments ofthis invention may be used to advantage without the corresponding use ofother features. As such, the foregoing description shall be consideredas merely illustrative of the principles of the present invention, andnot in limitation thereof. Hence, the scope of the invention is onlyrestricted by the appended patent claims.

1. In a memory device a method comprising: receiving from a queryingdevice a query request for desired content; performing a search based onthe request; and if content according to the query request is found,responsively establishing a connection with the querying device andinforming the querying device of the found content.
 2. A methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the memory device stores meta-data relatedto information stored in the memory device and performs the search basedon the meta-data.
 3. A method according to claim 1, further comprisingpowering the memory device by a wireless signal transmitted by thequerying device.
 4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the wirelesssignal that powers the memory device carries the query request.
 5. Amethod according to claim 1, wherein the query request is broadcast toall memory devices in range without addressing it to any memory deviceor set of memory devices in particular.
 6. A method according to claim1, further comprising adapting the scheduling of querying dynamicallybased on available power so that when available power suffices,simultaneous querying and data transmission to the querying device areenabled and otherwise querying and data transmission of found contentare performed sequentially.
 7. A method according to claim 1, whereinthe query request is embedded to a link layer command.
 8. A methodaccording to claim 1, further comprising continually and wirelesslypowering from the querying device to enable the performing of thesearch.
 9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the query request isreceived using proximity communications.
 10. A method according to claim1, wherein the memory device is selected from a group consisting of adigital camera, set top box, personal digital assistant, digitalcamcorder, stereo appliance, memory stick, portable computer, fixedcomputer, mobile telephone, positioning device, radio-frequency tag andportable music player.
 11. A method according to claim 1, wherein thefound content is sent to the querying device automatically onestablishing the connection, after establishing the connection, orresponsively to receiving a dedicated retrieval message from thequerying device.
 12. A memory device comprising: a receiver configuredto receive from a querying device a query request for desired content; amemory comprising information content; a processor configured to performa search based on the request; and a transmitter configured to:establish a connection with the querying device and inform the queryingdevice of the found content responsively if content according to thequery request is found.
 13. A memory device according to claim 12,further configured to store meta-data related to information stored inthe memory device and perform the search based on the meta-data.
 14. Amemory device according to claim 12, further configured to obtainpowering from a wireless signal transmitted by the querying device. 15.A memory device according to claim 13, further configured to obtain thequery request from the wireless signal that powers the memory devicecarries.
 16. A memory device according to claim 12, further configuredto obtain the query request from a broadcast to all memory devices inrange without addressing to any memory device or set of memory devicesin particular.
 17. A memory device according to claim 12, furtherconfigured to adapt the scheduling of querying dynamically based onavailable power so that when available power suffices, simultaneousquerying and data transmission to the querying device are enabled andotherwise querying and data transmission of the found content areperformed sequentially.
 18. A memory device according to claim 12,wherein the query request is embedded to a link layer command.
 19. Amemory device according to claim 12, further configured to continuallyand wirelessly obtain powering from the querying device to enable theperforming of the search.
 20. A memory device according to claim 12,further configured to receive the query request directly from thequerying device.
 21. A memory device according to claim 12, wherein thememory device is selected from a group consisting of a digital camera,set top box, personal digital assistant, digital camcorder, stereoappliance, memory stick, portable computer, fixed computer, mobiletelephone, positioning device, radio-frequency tag and portable musicplayer.
 22. A memory device according to claim 12, further configured tosend the found content to the querying device automatically onestablishing the connection, after establishing the connection, orresponsively to receiving a dedicated retrieval message from thequerying device.
 23. A computer program embodied in a memory medium,comprising: computer executable program code arranged to enable a memorydevice to receive from a querying device a query request for desiredcontent; computer executable program code arranged to enable a memorydevice to perform a search based on the request; and computer executableprogram code arranged to enable a memory device, if the contentaccording to the query request is found, to responsively establish aconnection with the querying device and informing the querying device ofthe found content.
 24. In a querying device a method comprising:inputting from a user an identification of desired content; sending aquery request for the desired content to surrounding memory devices, thequery request being adapted to cause compatible receiving memory devicesto perform a search based on the request; and monitoring for thecompatible receiving memory devices for information that contentaccording to the query request is found and responsive to receiving thesaid information from a given memory device, establishing a connectionwith the given memory device and obtaining the content.
 25. A methodaccording to claim 24, wherein the query request is a meta-data queryrequest.
 26. A method according to claim 24, further comprising:receiving identification of each memory device that responds with theinformation that content according to the query request is found;selecting supplying memory device from the memory devices from which theidentification has been received; and instructing the supplying memorydevice to send the found content to the device.
 27. A method accordingto claim 24, further comprising sending the termination message afterthe found content has been received and accepted as the desired contentby a user of the querying device.
 28. A querying device comprising: userinterface configured to input from a user an identification of desiredcontent; a transmitter configured to send a query request for thedesired content to surrounding memory devices, the query request beingadapted to cause compatible receiving memory devices to perform a searchbased on the request; and a processor configured to monitor for thecompatible receiving memory devices for information that the contentaccording to the query request is found and responsive to receiving thesaid information from a given memory device, to establish a connectionwith the given memory device and obtain the content.
 29. A queryingdevice according to claim 28, wherein the query request is a meta-dataquery request.
 30. A querying device according to claim 28, furtherconfigured to: receiving identification of each memory device thatresponds with the information that content according to the queryrequest is found; selecting supplying memory device from the memorydevices from which the identification has been received; and instructingthe supplying memory device to send the found content to the device. 31.A querying device according to claim 28, further configured to send atermination message to cancel the query request after the selecting ofthe supplying memory device.
 32. A querying device according to claim31, configured to send the termination message after the found contenthas been received.
 33. A querying device according to claim 31,configured to send the termination message after the found content hasbeen received and accepted by a user of the querying device.
 34. Amemory device comprising: means for receiving from a querying device aquery request for desired content; means for storing electricinformation content; means for performing a search based on the request;and means for: establishing a connection with the querying device andinforming the querying device of the found content responsively ifcontent according to the query request is found.